homenews
Sediment Stories
Sometimes . . .
Returning Rapids researchers relax while traveling across the Lake Powell reservoir. Photo credit: Cari Johnson
. . . geologic inquiry presents itself so forcefully and on its own timetable that researchers have little choice but to "go with the flow," as it were. That has certainly been the case of late in the American Southwest as mega-drought conditions have plunged the nation's largest reservoirs to new lows and terrain, underwater for decades, is quickly being daylighted.
University of Utah geologists Cari Johnson and Brenda Bowen are at the forefront of a remarkable collaborative effort to understand the dynamic transformation of the river corridors entering the Lake Powell Reservoir, in particular the Colorado and San Juan Rivers. Just capturing a moment of unprecedented geological change in real time has proven challenging.
Deep Time, Modern Moment
Brenda Bowen studies geologic features. Credit: Elliot Ross
Johnson, a deep time stratigrapher, brings a unique perspective to this contemporary geological puzzle. Traditionally, her work has involved studying sedimentary layers millions to billions of years old, deciphering ancient landscapes from rock formations. But now she finds herself in an extraordinary "time machine" — the Colorado River, its tributaries and their surrounding landscapes — where she can observe sedimentation processes in near real-time.
"The Glen Canyon Dam, completed in 1966, created a closed lake basin that's essentially a living laboratory," Johnson explains. "We have an incredibly detailed instrumented record of lake-level history, river discharge, and sediment load. These records establish the known boundary conditions that acted to form the textures, and features we see in decades-old reservoir sediment along the Colorado and San Juan River corridors.” It's like a long term, regional-scale experiment that began with construction of the Dam, the results of which are exposed for us to study now, due to falling reservoir levels. Bowen complements Johnson's approach by focusing on geomorphic evolution in response to human infrastructure. Together, they're documenting how sediment moves, changes, and impacts the landscape.
"We're not just collecting data," Bowen emphasizes. "We're contributing to an interdisciplinary community trying to understand active landscape changes and potentially inform management decisions."
Motoring around a bend. Credit: Elliot Ross
Returning Rapids
Central to their work is the Returning Rapids project, a collaborative effort that brings together researchers, government agencies, nonprofit organizations and tribal representatives. This initiative has been crucial in providing access to remote and challenging terrains, facilitating unprecedented interdisciplinary research. In a recent Rolling Stone article the breathless pace and dynamism of the rapidly changing Cataract Canyon features Returning Rapids, river-rafting enthusiasts who consider Cataract Canyon a second home and whose name counters the conventional view of many that “the emerging landscape as an area that will one day be under water again, even though the data suggests the opposite.”
"Returning Rapids doesn't just give us physical access," Johnson notes. "They bring together fish biologists, riparian ecologists, geologists, policymakers, land management agencies and others to create a comprehensive understanding of the landscape."
Mud Volcanoes
Credit: Elliot Ross
Johnson and Bowen’s research has yielded fascinating discoveries. One particularly intriguing finding is the presence of "sediment volcanoes" — small mud formations that emerge as reservoir levels drop, releasing gasses (likely methane) from decomposed organic material. These ephemeral geological features not only provide insights into sediment dynamics but also highlight the complex interactions between geological processes, organic matter and carbon release.
Equally compelling is the rapid ecosystem recovery in areas previously submerged. "When these areas are exposed," Bowen explains, "we see native species returning surprisingly quickly. It challenges our assumptions about landscape resilience."
Assembling and working with instrumentation the group personified as "Esther" Credit: Elliot Ross
The Sediment Challenge
The researchers are keenly aware of the broader implications of their work. With an estimated eight percent of Lake Powell already filled with sediment, the reservoir's utility is finite. Current projections suggest the reservoir could be completely filled with sediment in 70-250 years, a nanosecond in geologic time. "Our primary message is simple," Johnson states. "Sediment is an integral part of water systems. You can't separate water management from sediment dynamics."
The research extends beyond local concerns. Bowen points out the global significance of their work: "Worldwide, reservoirs are disrupting sedimentary processes. We're both trapping sediment and increasing sedimentation rates through land development. This is a quintessential Anthropocene challenge."
Looking forward, the researchers envision innovative approaches to data collection. Johnson dreams of a community science project where pilots, tourists and local flyers can contribute aerial photographs, providing additional perspectives on the rapidly changing landscape.
Capturing Change in Real-Time
Publications are typically the final resting place for research, but Johnson and Bowen’s priority is first capturing a moment of extraordinary geological transformation. "We're witnessing amazing landscape changes over short time scales," Bowen reflects. "Our role is to document, understand and help inform future management. It is both daunting and exciting to be collecting sedimentologic data with direct implications for important and pressing water management decisions."
In the dynamic terrain of the American Southwest, these geologists are not just observing change — they're helping humanity understand its own impact on the natural world. And sedimentation is telling that story.
Researchers dwarfed by the massive escarpments of the canyon. Credit: Elliot Ross
The U is a leader in science and technology education
He has previously served as the chair of Department of Physics and Astronomy and prior to that, the chair of the Department of Mathematics at the U.
In addition to overseeing these departments, Trapa has also been involved in the Wilkes Center for Climate Science and Policy and is the founder of the Science Research Initiative. He talks about the college, their programs and amazing opportunities for students.
Here he talks with KPCW's Cool Science Radio co-hosts Lynn Ware Peek and Kate Mullaly on how STEM disciplines in the College of Science and beyond have elevated the state's flagship university into a national reputation for science and technology education.
Listen to the podcast here.
Meeting students where they are
A licensed clinical social worker and University of Utah alumnus, Trujillo is committed to caring for student’s mental and emotional well-being as they explore their identity and pursue their education at the U.
Trujillo is just one member of a larger team of mental health professionals at the University Counseling Center, which provides a variety of therapeutic resources to students, most with zero cost associated. These services range from individual and group counseling sessions to immediate crisis services and everything in between. “At the Counseling Center," says Trujillo, "we're always thinking about new things and how to expand and have a better reach and accommodate the needs of students. And so the embedded model is another piece of that.”
Seeing patterns, creating plans
Steven Trujillo at Sound and Fury music festival in Los Angeles, 2024.
As an embedded therapist, Trujillo aims to integrate his services into the College of Science community — providing students with an accessible mental health resource and a familiar friend well-versed in their needs. “Being here on a regular basis allows me to see patterns in what College of Science students are managing and dealing with,” he explains. “I see a lot of recurring themes of imposter syndrome, perfectionism, and a number of different struggles, so it's helpful to have somebody here who has seen the patterns and can create plans to help manage those experiences.”
For many of the students Trujillo meets the pressures of academic performance can blur the lines between personal worth and educational achievement. “There are a lot of indicators of whether you're 'failing' or not, with grades, GPA, and all of these things." he explains. "And so often, we use those as a measure to determine whether we're succeeding or failing in life. But you can fail a class and still be succeeding in life, right? So a lot of my work is about helping people sort of separate their academic identity from their human identity.”
Though Trujillo works within the academic environment, his therapy sessions aren’t just limited to school subjects. “You don't have to just come here if you're having academic stressors,” he explains. “It can be anything. It can be outside stressors. It can be life transitions. It can be depressive symptoms. It can be symptoms of trauma, grief, or any number of things.”
Getting connected with therapy services is simple — by going to the University Counseling Center’s website, students can make an appointment for their initial consultation, where they'll meet with a therapist for 20-30 minutes who will gather an initial understanding of what they're seeking. From there, they’ll receive a recommendation for services and be connected with a therapist who best fits their needs.
Technology for oxidizing atmospheric methane?
One recent proposal seeks to infuse the atmosphere with hydrogen peroxide, insisting that it would both oxidize methane (CH4), an extremely potent greenhouse gas while improving air quality.
Too good to be true?
Jessica Haskins. Credit Todd Anderson
Alfred Mayhew. Credit Todd Anderson
University of Utah atmospheric scientists Alfred Mayhew and Jessica Haskins were skeptical, so they set out to test the claims behind this proposal. Their results, published on Jan. 3, confirm their doubts and offer a reality check to agencies considering such proposals as a way to stave off climate change.
“Our work showed that the efficiency of the proposed technology was quite low, meaning widespread adoption of the technology would be required to make any meaningful impact on atmospheric CH4,” said Mayhew, a postdoctoral researcher with the U’s Wilkes Center for Climate Science & Policy. “Then, our results indicate that if this technology is adopted at scale, then we start to see some negative air-quality side effects, particularly for wintertime particulate matter air pollution.”
To conduct the study, the Utah scientists modeled what would happen if you deployed the technology patented by a Canadian company, which is proposing to spray aerosolized hydrogen peroxide, or H₂O₂, into the atmosphere during daylight hours from 600-meter towers. These towers would approach the height of the world’s tallest radio towers.
Read the full article by Brian Maffly in @ TheU.
This story also appeared in Space Daily, Eureka Alert, Science Blog. and Securities.io.
DOE funds Materials Consortia which includes the University of Utah
Crabtree's announcement through the DOE's Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) recently detailed that $45 million has been awarded in federal funding for six projects to create regional consortia to accelerate the development of critical mineral and materials (CMM) supply chains including novel non-fuel carbon-based products from secondary and unconventional feedstocks.
Realizing the value of secondary and unconventional feedstocks, such as coal and coal by-products, effluent waters from oil and gas development, and acid mine drainage will enable the U.S. to rebuild domestic supply chains for CMM. By focusing on abundant American secondary and unconventional sources, these investments will support dependable and enduring supplies for American manufacturing and production of technologies essential to clean energy and the nation’s defense.
Safeguarding national security
Utah coal seam in core, with yellow material showing high resin content in coal. Credit: Lauren Birgenheier
“DOE is investing in collaborative regional projects to help us realize our nation’s full potential for recovery of these vital resources," continues Crabtree, "while creating high-wage jobs and delivering environmental benefits for communities across the United States.”
The six selected projects will build upon the work of DOE’s Carbon Ore, Rare Earth and Critical Minerals (CORE-CM) Initiative, expanding the focus from the basin scale to cover eight regions across the nation. Teams consist of partners such as private industry; universities; local, state, and federal government; local communities; and Tribes and Tribal organizations who will develop and implement strategies that enable each U.S. region to realize its economic critical minerals and materials potential, including valuable non-fuel carbon-based products. Principal investigator Michael Free of the U's Department of Materials Science and Engineering will head up this important work in the Rocky Mountains known as Region 6.
The U.S. depends heavily on foreign sources for critical materials used for many of the electronic devices, vehicles, and clean energy technology we rely on. "There is a corresponding need to produce these critical materials domestically," says Free. "This project is designed to assess potential critical materials resources in locations in the Rocky Mountain Region where mining has or is already taking place with an emphasis on resources related to coal." Formally titled, "Assessment, Characterization, and Planning for Carbon Ore and Critical Minerals/Materials Resources Utilization in the Rocky Mountain Region," the U's plan intends also to evaluate sedimentary-hosted minerals, waste-related materials and other potential value-added materials.
Resulting data from these assessments and evaluations will be shared through the DOE Energy Data Exchange database to help formulate regional strategies for business commercialization, workforce readiness, technology assessments, stakeholder outreach, energy equity and justice, ongoing energy transformation, and community impacts. A "roadmap" will then be presented for technology innovation centers.
Portable X-ray fluorescence analysis of a coal sample used to evaluate critical mineral content. Credit: Lauren Birgenheier
Finally, the university's plan is to coordinate CORE-CM regional research efforts, DOE–NETL working groups, and the Critical Materials Collaborative, a new mode of connection created by the DOE in 2023 to improve and increase communication and coordination among DOE, government agencies and stakeholders working on critical materials projects.
Those regional efforts include previously funded CORE-CM Phase I project leaders from New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, University of Wyoming and the U along with the CMM metal ore mining geology expertise of Colorado School of Mines. Free adds that "a regional-scale assessment, sampling and characterization of CMM resource types will contribute datasets to achieve DOE objectives."
Lauren Birgenheier, team leader and U associate professor in the Department of Geology & Geophysics, explains that “the CORE-CM Phase I project efforts conducted over the past three years provide a solid foundation of CMM resource characterization data across the Rocky Mountain Region that will be built out into a more robust understanding of CMM resource volumes in key prospective geographic areas and geologic settings.”
Community benefits
An important part of the initiative is to develop a community benefits plan which aims to provide access to project opportunities for people of all backgrounds, forge equitable engagement with disadvantaged communities and foster a teaming partner culture of inclusion.
Funded at $9,598,204 ($7.5 million from the DOE alone), the selected U-led project anticipates outcomes that include information to help industries and communities to realize the full commercialization opportunities and economic value from a secure, reliable, and sustainable domestic supply of CMM and coal-related materials sourced from Region 6.
Other project partners include 47G,Colorado Geological Survey, Idaho National Lab, Idaho State Geological Survey, JWP Consulting, Lamar University, Los Alamos National Lab, Montana Technological University, Sandia National Lab, SonoAsh, Utah Geological Survey, Utah State University Eastern and Wolverine Fuels.
by David Pace
You can read more about the critical materials work in the Mike Free lab here.
‘Brand new physics’ for next gen spintronics
Eric Montoya
Traditional electronics use the charge of electrons to encode, store and transmit information. Spintronic devices utilize both the charge and spin-orientation of electrons. By assigning a value to electron spin (up=0 and down=1), spintronic devices offer ultra-fast, energy-efficient platforms.
To develop viable spintronics, physicists must understand the quantum properties within materials. One property, known as spin-torque, is crucial for the electrical manipulation of magnetization that’s required for the next generations of storage and processing technologies.
Researchers at the University of Utah and the University of California, Irvine (UCI), have discovered a newtype of spin–orbit torque. The study that published in Nature Nanotechnology on Jan. 15, 2025, demonstrates a new way to manipulate spin and magnetization through electrical currents, a phenomenon that they’ve dubbed the anomalous Hall torque.
“This is brand new physics, which on its own is interesting, but there’s also a lot of potential new applications that go along with it,” said Eric Montoya, assistant professor of physics and astronomy at the University of Utah and lead author of the study. “These self-generated spin-torques are uniquely qualified for new types of computing like neuromorphic computing, an emerging system that mimics human brain networks.”
New Bio Faculty: Luiza Aparecido
Born and raised in the São Paulo State in Brazil, her journey to the University of Utah is rooted in her lifelong passion for plants. “Ever since I was a young kid growing up in Brazil, I've always been interested in what plants are doing,” she shares. “And when it comes to the type of work that I do, I just want plants to always be around. I love plants very much, and I know that we need them for our livelihood, and their role in the ecosystem is very important.”
Aparecido’s educational path began in forestry engineering in Brazil where she was introduced to undergraduate research, inspired by her father’s career as a university professor. She then pursued a master’s degree studying the ecology of the Amazon rainforest, during which her fascination with plant ecology and physiology deepened. “When I was there, that's when I started getting more in tune with plant ecology and plant physiology, and how these fields are crucial in understanding the structure and function of forests,” she explains. However, her academic journey was not without challenges. She almost stepped away from academia before deciding to apply for a PhD program at Texas A&M University where she earned her doctorate in Ecosystem Science and Management. Her doctoral work led her to explore the complexities of plant interactions with leaf wetness in the tropics of Costa Rica.
After earning her PhD, Aparecido completed a postdoctoral position at Arizona State University where she shifted her focus to arid land ecology — a surprising contrast to her roots in the lush Amazon rainforest. “When I moved to Arizona State, I was doing preliminary work in the Sonoran Desert, and that's when I realized there's so much we don't know about these plants that are very unique and very adapted to these ecosystems,” she explains. “How are they going to look in the future? Are they really as resistant as people think they are? Are they even resilient?”
At the U, Aparecido’s research addresses crucial questions about plant resilience in urban and natural landscapes, particularly in the face of climate change. Her current research is crucial for understanding plants’ response to heat and drought stress, such as plant adaptations to urban heat islands, a common phenomena in the Southwest region of the US.
These responses can be measured through leaf gas exchange rates (photosynthesis and transpiration), stem water use and hydraulics, plant morphological traits and local microclimatic conditions. “When it comes to urban plants and plants that we see up on the hillside, understanding how resilient they are to heatwaves and drier conditions matters for restoration and conservation,” she says.
Aparecido’s work also delves into invasion ecology, examining what makes certain plants invasive and how they might outcompete native species. “Invasion is
something that's going to be inevitable with climate change,” she says. “We’re trying to figure out what happens at the physiological level that allows invasive plants to dominate over native ones.”
Aparecido’s research has significant implications for both ecological preservation and agriculture. She emphasizes the importance of developing drought- and heat-tolerant plants and understanding local plant adaptations to inform conservation efforts. She also highlights the challenges of maintaining diverse urban forests in a warming climate. “When you have a large number of the same species, that makes it more attractive for pathogens or insects to come in, but it also means that there is less variability in functions and traits, which might be detrimental when all plants are stressed at the same time” she explains. “So the more diversity you have in plant communities the better off they will be in an ecosystem. I’m talking about neighborhood scale but also in your own lawn. The more diverse you go, the better.” Aparecido emphasizes that in the world of plants, small changes can go a very long way.
Looking for patterns
Beyond her research, Aparecido is a dedicated teacher and mentor. She currently supervises three graduate students working on projects ranging from the physiology of invasive Russian olive trees to the behavior of tumbleweeds and hybrid oak resilience. She is also teaching a course on ecosystem ecology this spring. “One thing about my job that I love is looking for patterns,” she says. “Plant processes are embedded in modeling for climate projections and plant distribution projections because of these patterns.” In her lab and classroom she strives to provide her students with extensive tools and knowledge to measure plants' health as they adapt to environmental challenges.
Looking ahead, Aparecido is eager to collaborate with researchers and organizations at the U, including at the Wilkes Center for Climate Science and Policy and Red Butte Garden. She values the opportunity to work alongside like-minded colleagues who share her passion for understanding and protecting plant ecosystems. Aparecido’s enthusiasm for plants and nature extends beyond her work. She enjoys exploring Utah’s unique landscapes through road trips and hikes, often accompanied by her dog, Cookie. “I think I always felt very connected to the land,” she reflects. “And I just love working with plants and understanding the environment through them.”
As Luiza Aparecido settles into her new role, she remains committed to following her passion for plants and inspiring others to do the same.
by Julia St. Andre
How snowflakes get their intricate shape
From stars to needles to amorphous globs, scientists are demystifying a snowflake’s complex construction — showing how factors such as temperature can influence their shape. Some researchers have already observed how a warming world can drive structural changes, including flakes that melt quicker, fall faster and gravitate toward specific shapes.
“Snowflakes are far more varied and interesting than we had previously imagined,” said Tim Garrett, an atmospheric physicist at the University of Utah.
The science of snowflake shapes
Tim Garrett
The creation of all snowflakes begins with liquid water droplets in a cloud. As the temperature dips below freezing, some cloud droplets begin to freeze around dust particles in the sky and form hexagonal crystals. All snowflakes are six-sided because water molecules bond with one another in a hexagonal lattice.
A crystal begins to grow by absorbing water vapor from the surrounding air. Other liquid droplets evaporate, adding more water vapor that the crystals can tap into to grow larger. As the crystals get bigger and heavier, they start to fall.
In the 1930s, Japanese physicist Ukichiro Nakaya — who famously described snowflakes as “letters from heaven” — created the first artificial snowflake and found that different snowflakes form under different conditions.
But why do certain shapes appear at different temperatures? Growing snowflakes in his lab, Libbrecht uncovered processes that help explain this decades-long mystery.
For example, at different temperatures, flat, smooth surfaces — called facets — can appear around the crystal on certain sides. Imagine an even glossy surface like on a diamond face but on ice.
Water molecules have a hard time sticking to these flat surfaces because there are less available chemical bonds to connect to. As a result, these facets act like shields and prevent crystals from growing in certain directions.
If these smooth surfaces are on the top and bottom (called basal facets) of the crystal, the snowflake is more likely to grow as a column or needle. If they are set up around the sides of the hexagon (called prism facets), then the snowflake is more likely to grow as a plate.
But our warming world is also influencing how snowflakes — including the most common ones — form.
“That’s all going on at once. It takes about 100,000 droplets to make a good sized snowflake,” said Ken Libbrecht, a physics professor at the California Institute of Technology and snowflake consultant for the movie “Frozen.” The process can take about 30 to 45 minutes.
Read the full Washington Post article which features three-dimensional animations of snowflake architecture.
